A Fulton County Schools Update, with Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney (GNFCC 400 Insider, Episode 81)
Fulton County Schools Superintendent, Dr. Mike Looney joined host Kali Boatright to discuss school safety, redistricting changes, retaining and recruiting teachers, changes to the school board, preparing students for the future, and much more.
The GNFCC 400 Insider is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.
Fulton County Schools
Fulton County Schools is the fourth largest school system in Georgia with nearly 11,000 full- and part-time employees, and nearly 7,000 teachers and other certified personnel spread out throughout the county. These incredible individuals support nearly 90,000 students this year who are attending classes in 59 elementary schools, 19 middle schools, 19 high schools, 10 start-up charter organizations, and 1 full-time virtual school.
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Dr. Mike Looney, Superintendent, Fulton County Schools
Dr. Mike Looney has served as the Superintendent for the Fulton County School District (FCS) in Georgia since June 2019. In the middle of his first year on the job, he became the first school leader in the state to be faced with reacting to the unknown – a confirmed, positive case of COVID-19. He immediately jumped into action, calling upon his 28 years as an educator, 15 years of previous experience as a school superintendent in Tennessee and Alabama, as a retired marine, father and community leader to guide the district through two years of COVID-19 protocols and safety measures, all while maintaining a focus on the mission of educating students.
Despite the pandemic, his goals remained consistent. He continued with a focused set of key priorities including dropout prevention, literacy for all, CTAE expansion, STEAM programs, middle school reform, leadership development, and solid financial management. He also led the development of the Bridge to Success plan, the district’s three-year comprehensive strategy and transformational investment to help students recover from learning loss resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure student achievement, growth and success.
As the superintendent of the AAA-rated school district, Looney is passionate about ensuring academic excellence and paving the way to post-graduate success for the district’s more than 89,000 students who attend 108 schools. He is deeply committed to the school board’s mission to educate every student to be a responsible, productive citizen.
Beginning his educational career as a substitute teacher, while working on an MBA, Looney rose to becoming an award-winning national speaker on education, including being named Tennessee Superintendent of the Year in 2015. Dr. Looney received his Educational Specialist degree and Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Alabama and his bachelor’s degree in Business Management and master’s degree in Education from Jacksonville State University in Alabama.
Looney currently serves as a member of the Governor’s Advisory Board, Board of Directors for the Development Authority of Fulton County, Board of Directors of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, and a member at North Point Community Church.
Looney is the proud father of four adult children, grandfather of two, and husband to Jennifer Looney. A successful business owner and professional skydiver, he recently added becoming a trained Wing Walker to his list of accomplishments.
About GNFCC and The GNFCC 400 Insider
The GNFCC 400 Insider is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC) and is hosted by Kali Boatright, President and CEO of GNFCC. The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit, member-driven organization comprised of over 1400 business enterprises, civic organizations, educational institutions, and individuals. Their service area includes Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell and Sandy Springs. GNFCC is the leading voice on economic development, business growth and quality of life issues in North Fulton County.
The GNFCC promotes the interests of our members by assuming a leadership role in making North Fulton an excellent place to work, live, play and stay. They provide one voice for all local businesses to influence decision-makers, recommend legislation, and protect the valuable resources that make North Fulton a popular place to live.
For more information on GNFCC and its North Fulton County service area, follow this link or call (770) 993-8806. For more information on other GNFCC events such as this North Fulton Mayors Appreciation Lunch, follow this link.
For the complete show archive of GNFCC 400 Insider, go to GNFCC400Insider.com. The GNFCC 400 Insider is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.
